JOAN MOLLOY:: Violin

Founder and Director of HeartStrings Studio, Joan Molloy studied at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and at the University of Minnesota, where she received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance. She went on to study Suzuki Method pedagogy and has completed Suzuki Teacher Development Units 1 through 8, Teacher Practicum, and many Overview and Teacher Enrichment Courses.

HeartStrings Studio upholds Shinichi's Suzuki's belief that talent can be nurtured in every child and that every child and every person can learn to play well and express themselves musically. In concert with Suzuki's philosophy Joan believes that the skills and abilities that are developed through this positive and joyful approach serve students throughout their lives.

Joan's teachers and influences include Alice Joy Lewis, Ronda Cole, Nancy Lokken, Mimi Zweig, Alex Shum, Aaron Janse, Edmund Sprunger, and Young Nam Kim. These individuals, along with her students, have inspired her and contributed to her as a person, a teacher and a performing musician. Her students have gone on to study music at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, St. Olaf, Luther College, Eastman School of Music, CalArts School of Music, University of Michigan , University of Madison and the University of Minnesota.

As a performer, Joan currently serves as Concertmaster for the East Metro Symphony Orchestra and performs in the Cavatina String Quartet. Past orchestral experiences include assistant principal violinist in the Duluth Symphony Orchestra, concertmaster and soloist with the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra, and concertmaster for the Chippewa Valley Symphony in Eau Claire.

While Joan brings knowledge, experience and expertise to her craft, what sustains and informs her teaching the most are encounters with students and their families: witnessing growth, creating a path together, celebrating successes and finding joy in the process.